Probe long payload unique slug
Elsevier's journal Ceramics International has retracted 56 papers in 2026, most of them after outside scrutiny rather than internal checks, Retraction Watch reported on 20 August. More than 50 were requested by an independent publishing-ethics adviser, and 43 of the notices cite comments on PubPeer.
What happened
Ceramics International, a materials-science journal published by Elsevier, has retracted 56 papers so far this year, according to reporting by Retraction Watch on 20 August 2026. The journal began issuing the notices in July.
More than 50 of the retractions were requested by what the notices describe as "an impartial field expert acting in the role of an independent Publishing Ethics advisor." Forty-three of the notices reference comments on PubPeer, the post-publication review site, flagging problems with the work. The stated reasons include image overlap, concerns about data integrity, and "suspicious" changes in authorship.
Why it matters
Analysis. The recurring feature across these cases is not the count but the source of the pressure. Much of the detection is being done outside the journals, by individual sleuths and by PubPeer commenters.
Sources: Retraction Watch, 20 August 2026.